Plain English Foundation launches AI workplace services

Plain English Foundation has launched three services to help organisations manage and improve the use of artificial intelligence at work. The offering covers training, governance and editing support for AI-generated writing.

The new services include two workplace writing workshops, an AI governance framework service, and an AI content review and editing service. The package is designed to help employers set rules for AI use, improve the standard of AI-produced content, and strengthen staff writing and review skills.

Plain English Foundation, which has spent more than two decades providing plain language training and editing, is extending that work into AI as generative tools become more common in offices. Past clients have included Australian government agencies such as the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, DFAT and Services Australia.

The launch reflects a broader shift in how organisations are using AI for routine tasks such as emails, reports, policies and customer communications. In a survey of 289 professionals across government, the private sector and not-for-profit organisations, almost 90% said they use generative AI at least once a month, while one in three use it every day.

At the same time, formal training remains limited. Only 21.1% of respondents had completed training on how to use generative AI effectively.

Workplace training

The two new workshops are called Smarter AI for Workplace Writing and Smarter AI for Ministerial and Policy Writing. The first is aimed at professionals using AI for workplace communication, while the second is designed for government, policy and executive teams using AI in decision-support writing.

Both courses focus on practical writing tasks. Participants learn how to write prompts, identify and remove inaccuracies in AI-generated material, humanise AI text and improve clarity.

The workshops can be delivered face to face or online. They can also be tailored to a client's brand guidelines, writing and style guide, templates and communication challenges.

Governance focus

Alongside training, the foundation is offering a governance framework service for organisations that want formal rules for staff use of AI. The service includes policy and procedure development, as well as use guidelines created with clients.

The framework is intended to define how an organisation oversees AI, manages risk, and maintains human oversight and accountability. Policy and procedure documents set out the rules for AI use and the steps staff must follow when creating content with AI. Use guidelines provide day-to-day advice on writing prompts and checking outputs before publication.

The focus on governance comes as many employers weigh AI's productivity gains against concerns about accuracy, consistency and oversight. In workplace writing, errors introduced through automated drafting can be hard to detect if staff rely too heavily on machine-generated text.

Editing service

The third service is an editing and review offering for AI-generated communication. Plain English Foundation says its editors will check content for accuracy, improve tone, reduce repetition and refine material so it reads more naturally.

The service covers a range of common business documents, including customer service communications, reports, internal documents and learning materials. Its aim is to ensure drafted content is clear and fit for purpose, rather than simply produced quickly.

The launch also highlights a growing market for specialist advice on workplace AI. As businesses and public sector bodies adopt consumer AI tools for everyday writing, external advisers are increasingly focusing on governance, staff training and quality control rather than software provision.

The trend is especially relevant in regulated or high-scrutiny environments such as government and policy work, where wording, accuracy and record-keeping standards carry added weight. Errors in briefing notes, ministerial material or public-facing guidance can have broader consequences than mistakes in routine internal correspondence.

Ayisha Tufail, Chief Operating Officer, Professional Capability at Lumify Group, commented on the need for practical instruction and clear internal rules as organisations expand AI use in everyday work.

"We know Australian workers are increasingly using AI in their day-to-day tasks. But there is a big difference between using AI and using it well. When organisations give staff practical training on how to prompt AI more effectively, it can help them generate stronger outputs and deliver higher-quality work," said Ayisha Tufail, Chief Operating Officer, Professional Capability at Lumify Group.

"Furthermore, by giving staff clear guidance on how to use AI, organisations can ensure they maintain quality and consistency across all their communication," Tufail said.